Non-League and Academy football writer

One of the great things about the lower levels of non-League/grassroots football, is that there is a number of diaspora/heritage teams, who represent their respective communities, through a football team. I have already written quite a long piece on the history of diaspora clubs in non-League football in England, but in the following short piece, I will be writing a little bit on some of the Irish diaspora clubs/teams, who have played their football in the lower levels of non-League, within the FA pyramid.

Shamrock FC: Shamrock/Ealing Shamrock (there was also a time when they were called Acton Shamrock) were a well known and succesful football team in the Middlesex County Football League, during the 1980s and 1990s, having won the league’s Premier Division, as well as doing well in cup competitions. They used to play their home matches at the Shamrock Club, in Acton. From what I understand, Shamrock were an excellent side, who were a very well established Middlesex League club. They would win the league’s Premier Division on two occasions, in 1988/89, and in 1992/93. A lot of Shamrock’s players came from Ireland, or were of Irish heritage, and a number of their players played Gaelic football during the summer.

Heston Bombers FC: Another Irish heritage side who played their football in the Middlesex County Football League, was Heston Bombers FC. Like Shamrock, this former Middlesex League side would also do well in cup competitions. And the team who played their home matches for a time at Osterley Sports Club, would do very well during the 2013/14 season’s Division Two season. They would later return for the 2015/16 season, once again playing in Division Two of the Middlesex League, when they played alongside current step 5 side Hilltop, and later PFC Victoria London, in the same division. And in the 2017/18 season, a season that they faced current Middlesex League side Harrow Bhoys, who I believe are another team who have links with London’s Irish community, the London club would reach the final of that season’s The H & D Division Two Challenge Cup. They would only narrowly lose (2-1) to Western Athletic. The club’s last season in the Middlesex League, was the 2019/20 season.

FC Roast: Former Middlesex League club, and Irish heritage side, FC Roast, would play in the Division One East & Central (step 8) of the Middlesex League, during their time in the league. In their first season (2018/19) competing in that division, FC Roast finished in eighth place in the league table. The club’s top goalscorer during that season, Bradley Barraclough would score an impressive 17 league goals from 16 appearances. However, the next league season would see FC Roast finish in fourth place in the Division One East & Central. Sadly, their final season in the Middlesex League, was the much shorter than usual 2020/21 season, before the club folded.

FC Irish of London: A very good side, who only folded last summer, FC Irish of London won last season’s (2023/24) Middlesex League Division One North & West, winning 7-0 against Celtic (1995) FC, to clinch the title on the last day of the league season. They did win promotion to the Premier Division of the Middlesex League for the 2024/25 season, but they would fold before the season had started. When I saw FC Irish of London last season, a club who had previously merged with Springfield FC, they looked like a really good team. And in that particular game against Celtic (1995), they were absolutely outstanding, and they really deserved to win that game so emphatically. However, FC Irish of London would only a couple of weeks earlier, win 18-0 against UKTSU, in a league game.

London Hibernian FC: One of the only Irish heritage (a number of their players have played at a good level in Ireland) sides remaining within the FA pyramid, Surrey South South Eastern Combination Intermediate Division 1 side, London Hibernian, are a very talented side. The club have two teams, including a team at step 8 of the FA pyramid. Former London FA Saturday Junior Cup winners, London Hibernian’s Surrey South Eastern Combination Intermediate Division side, are enjoying a fine season, so far. They are currently in sixth place in the league table, and they are still in with a chance (they have a number of games in hand) of winning the league title. They are also still in the Gordon Worsfold Senior Cup, and London Hibernian were only recently knocked out of this season’s London FA Saturday Junior Cup. You can read an interview that I did with two members of the club last summer, here – My interview with step 8 club London Hibernian FC’s club secretary …nonleagueandacademyfootballwriter.co.ukhttps://nonleagueandacademyfootballwriter.co.uk › my-…